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      European-Cup winning ex-Prem and England ace suing FA for damages in £300m brain injury case

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      A FORMER Premier League and England ace is suing the FA for damages in a £300million brain injury case.The European Cup winner is one of 15 players who claim heading the ball caused dementia or other conditions.
      Sources said an ex-Prem and England star who played during the 1990s was added to the brain injury claim in the past two weeksCredit: Getty
      They are part of a wider legal action brought by 379 sportspeople and their families against the governing bodies for football and rugby.
      Sources said the star, who played during the 1990s and won several caps for the Three Lions, was added to the claim in the past two weeks.
      His inclusion is a significant moment in the case because it is likely to shatter the myth that players only from the 1960s and 1970s had been affected as they were heading heavy leather footballs.
      Researchers say modern balls travel at greater speeds, increasing the impact on the skull.
      READ MORE ON THE FA
      So far, 105 rugby league and 260 former rugby union players as well as the 15 ex-footballers have joined the lawsuit, which will be heard in the High Court.
      Another 20 former footballers are in the process of issuing claims.
      They are suing, among others, the International Football Association Board, The FA, the English Football League and the Football Association of Wales.
      Some of the claimants have died and were found to have a type of brain damage known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
      Most read in Football
      Those still alive have dementia, Parkinson’s disease, post-concussion syndrome, epilepsy or motor neurone disease.
      Their lawyer, Richard Boardman, of Rylands Garth, told The Sun: “We allege there’s been a systematic failure by the governing bodies to protect players.”
      Those whose deaths have been linked to heading the ball include West Brom’s Jeff Astle, who died at 56 in 2002. England’s 1966 heroes Ray Wilson, Martin Peters, Nobby Stiles, Jack Charlton and manager Sir Alf Ramsey all had dementia.
      Nobby’s son, John, who is part of the lawsuit, said: “In the fullness of time this will be seen as the greatest scandal in sport.
      “The players have been completely failed. They are uninformed and unprepared for the dangers.”
      He wants action including longer recovery time following concussion.
      The FA declined to comment. More

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      I had Man City star Benjamin Mendy’s secret love child after holiday romance – he’s paying us £350 a month, it’s hard

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      MANCHESTER City footballer Benjamin Mendy has a secret love child from a Mediterranean holiday romance.This week it emerged that the Premier League ace is paying the mother Yolanda Aguera around £350 a month towards the upkeep of their daughter – after she demanded a four-figure sum.
      Benjamin Mendy has a secret love child, 3, from a holiday romance with Yolanda AgueraCredit: Darren Fletcher
      Mendy, 28, was ordered to pay Yolanda, 41, around £350 a month towards the upkeep of their daughterCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
      Mendy’s £90,000 a week contract at Manchester City is said to expire in JuneCredit: Getty
      The child, now aged three, was conceived after he met former bank worker Yolanda, 41, at a trendy hotel in Barcelona and went with her to a party at a mutual friend’s plush apartment in the city.
      Mendy, 28, did not dispute paternity.
      His £90,000 a week contract at Manchester City is said to expire in June and raises questions as to whether he will be able to pay the mortgage on his £4.8 milllion home in Cheshire.
      He’s also been suspended without pay since September 2021 when he was charged with sex offences.
      Read More on Benjamin Mendy
      Speaking exclusively to The Sun on Sunday, Yolanda, who lives in a small one-bedroom apartment in the city suburb of Badalona, said: “The last three years of single parenting have been hard.
      “Initially I was getting up two hours every night to breastfeed and helping to look after my grandmother during the day before she went into a retirement home.
      “Since my daughter started at nursery school this year I’ve had a bit more freedom to look for work but I’m having to focus on jobs that will enable me to fit in with her timetables.
      “The money Ben is paying will help but I’m worried about how I’m going to make ends meet and ensure our daughter doesn’t want for anything.
      Most read in Football
      “I was getting just over £400 a month in state benefits up until they ran out a week or so ago.
      “My mortgage is £550 a month so at the moment I’m relying on the little savings I have and help from my parents.”
      Yolanda added: “I would like Ben to be there for our daughter as she grows up.
      “He hasn’t got any kind of meaningful relationship with her just now and has only seen her once when we flew to Manchester and visited him at his home in Cheshire.
      “She loves playing football and is left-footed like her dad and if I have the money I’d like her to start extra-curricular activities in sport and music which she also seems to have a passion for when she begins proper school next year.”
      Speaking about their holiday romance, Yolanda revealed they first met at the trendy W Hotel in Barcelona in July 2019.
      Yolanda says she told Mendy she was pregnant but did not name him as the dad on the birth certificateCredit: Darren Fletcher
      Yolanda added: ‘He hasn’t got any kind of meaningful relationship with her (his daughter) just now’Credit: Darren Fletcher
      She said: “I had gone along for a drink with a female friend and we got talking to him and his pals.
      “The attraction was instant and mutual.
      “There was music on the terrace and after we danced he sat me on his lap and we kissed.
      “My friend told me he was a footballer because I had no idea who he was when we first met.
      “We all ended up in a nearby apartment they seemed to be renting where one of Benjamin’s pals had offered to cook dinner.
      “Before we sat down for the meal Benjamin took me by the hand and guided me towards a bedroom where we had sex.”
      She realised she was pregnant five weeks later and became a mum following an emergency Caesarean on April 22, 2020.
      Yolanda told Mendy about her pregnancy but did not name him as the father on the birth certificate although he has not disputed paternity.
      Since then they’ve been trying to reach an agreement for care of their daughter.
      Mendy went on trial last year at Chester Crown Court charged with seven counts of rape against four women, one attempted rape of a fifth alleged victim and a sexual assault of a sixth woman.
      He was found not guilty of six counts of rape and the sexual assault but will face a retrial in June after the jury did not reach a verdict on one rape count and the attempted rape which he denies.
      Mendy has agreed visiting rights to his daughter.
      Yolanda, a Spanish citizen, said: “She’s adorable and always happy and she’s the spitting image of her dad.
      “My mum was the first person who held her in her arms in the hospital and told me how similar they were the moment she saw her.
      “I wouldn’t change her for the world. I had sleepless nights when I was pregnant wondering if I was doing the right thing by having her but the moment I had her in my arms she changed my life.
      “She’s the most incredible person I have in my life and my reason for living.

      “I wouldn’t turn the clocks back even if I could.
      “God has rewarded me with this daughter. Being a mother right now means everything to me.”
      The W Hotel in Barcelona where the pair metCredit: Alamy More

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      Four-time British motorcycling champion Keith Farmer died aged 35 after injuries forced him to retire

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      A FOUR-time British motorcycling champion has died after his injuries forced him to retire, an inquest has heard. Keith Farmer, 35, was found dead in November last year following the tough decision to give up racing and the breakdown of his relationship.
      Keith Farmer, 35, was found dead in November last yearCredit: Pacemaker
      The racer left the sport following two big crashesCredit: Pacemaker
      The dad-of-three was forced to leave the sport after two big crashes – but struggled with the new way of life and felt “lost”, the court heard.
      The racer left partner Sam Ritchie’s house on November 4 and told her he “wouldn’t be here” in the morning after they argued.
      A few hours later, he was found in the garage of his home where he was given CPR.
      He was admitted to intensive care shortly after and put on life support.
      READ MORE ON SPORT
      However, on November 10 he sadly passed away after it was agreed to withdraw the support.
      A post-mortem revealed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his death.
      Coroner Dr Nicholas Shaw recorded Keith’s death as suicide after it was revealed he suffered a severe brain injury in the incident.
      Dr Shaw said: “This has been a very sad inquest to go through.
      Most read in Motorsport
      “He left a note indicating that was his plan.
      “He said goodbye and went and did that before taking time to consider what the consequences might be.”
      Keith’s family has described him as “hard-working, conscientious and very competitive”.
      Sister Wendy Forsyth said the are “completely devastated” and their “lives would never be the same again”.
      The Northern Irish racer won the National Superstock 600 title in 2011 and National Superstock 1000cc successes followed in 2012 and 2018.
      He also won the British Supersport title in 2017. More

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      Dani Alves’ estranged wife shares kiss with female pal on Instagram after ‘demanding divorce’ over star’s rape charges

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      FOOTBALLER Dani Alves’ estranged wife has pictured herself sharing a kiss with a female friend after she demanded a divorce.Joana Sanz shared the clip of herself at a party with a pal with her almost one million Instagram followers.
      Dani Alves’ estranged wife Joana Sanz has shared a picture of her kissing a female palCredit: Instagram
      The model, 29, posted a video of herself with friend Sandra TabaresCredit: Instagram
      Alves and Joana split in January after seven years of marriageCredit: Getty
      The 29-year-old Spanish model and businesswoman is seeking a divorce from the Brazil and former Barcelona footballer after he was arrested over alleged rape charges.
      Joana posted a short video of herself with her friend, the model Sandra Tabares, for her birthday.
      In the clip, the two are seen with their arms around each other and singing at a party.
      The post includes an inset of the two sharing a kiss.
      READ MORE ON DANI ALVES
      Joana wrote on the story in Spanish: “Happy birthday, I LOVE YOU. Thank you for lifting me off the ground and filling me with vitality again.
      “We keep adding moments. Through thick and thin.”
      The Canary Island-born model also shared a link on her Instagram story to an article in the Spanish publication El Mundo about women whose partners have been unfaithful.
      In the article, which features pictures of Joana, the author writes: “Infidelity should only dwarf the one who lies, but it is difficult to ignore the component of shame felt by those who have been deceived.
      Most read in Football
      “Is the break up out of self-love or pressure?”
      Alves, 39, appeared in a Spanish court on Monday where he insisted that his sexual encounter with his alleged victim at a Barcelona nightclub was consensual.
      The right-back, who most recently played for Mexican side UNAM, has been in jail since January 20 after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman in December last year.
      Alves initially denied having sex with the woman, but later changed his story.
      He claimed that he had lied at first because he wanted to save his marriage to Joana, with whom he tied the knot in 2017.
      Joana removed most of the photographs of her with the footballer from her Instagram after the allegations came to light.
      In a heartfelt handwritten letter which she shared on her social media, she said: “I chose as a life partner a person who in my eyes was perfect.”
      She went on: “It’s so hard for me to accept that this person could break me into a thousand pieces.”
      Adding that she would “always” love Alves, she concluded: “Forgiveness sets you free, so I will keep the magic of the period and close a chapter in my life that began on May 18, 2015.”
      Initially it was reported Alves had been accused of putting his hands down his accuser’s underwear inside the nightclub.
      It then emerged the woman had alleged she was slapped round the face and raped in a toilet.
      The former Barca star was also unable to explain the fact that police found the woman’s fingerprints all over the bathroom where the alleged assault took place.
      Read More on The Sun
      Last month it was revealed Alves had written to his estranged wife from behind bars.
      In the letter, he claims he is “completely devastated” by the split, and expresses his “regret” for what happened.
      Former Barcelona star Alves is accused of raping a woman at a nightclubCredit: AFP More

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      Ex-Everton star who had child sex case dropped could soon make international return, manager says

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      A FORMER Everton star could return to his international team after child sex offences were dropped against him.The Premier League star, who can’t legally be named, was held by police in July 2021 before being released on bail.
      The player could return to an international level
      Police revealed last week he will face no further action after the case was dropped.
      His international manager has now hinted at the player making a return if he wished to return to the club.
      He told local media: “He will have to decide for himself whether he wants to return to football and play again.
      “If he does, he will obviously be in my plans, if he maintains the same standard.
      Read more news
      “We are very happy because his name has been cleared and these two years must have been hell for him.”
      The manager also branded his player a “nice boy” as he revealed he “felt for him” during the ordeal.
      Police were scrambled to the star’s home in July 2021 where “several items were seized”.
      Everton confirmed he had been suspended while police investigated the allegations.
      Most read in Football
      In a previous statement, they added: “The Club will continue to support the authorities with their inquiries and will not be making any further statement at this time.”
      The alleged offences were described as “very serious” with a probe led by Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team.
      It was then confirmed in February that the Crown Prosecution Service were probing whether or not to charge the International star.
      A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police told The Sun Online last week: “The investigation team and Crown Prosecution Service have been working together and reached the decision that the evidence available at this time does not reach the threshold set out on the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
      “Greater Manchester Police is committed to investigating allegations to secure the best possible outcomes for all involved and will continue to work with partner agencies to ensure individuals are supported throughout investigations and beyond.”
      Everton said previously the player had been suspended pending the probe More

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      Shocking moment boozy ex-Premier League star CRASHES his Land Rover through wall of a Co-op ‘after 10 pints’

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      THIS is the shocking moment a former Premier League star crashes his Land Rover through the wall of a Co-op, having sunk as many as 10 pints.Dad-of-three Danny Graham, who started his footballing career with Middlesbrough FC, was nearly three times the legal limit when he drove his 4×4 on November 4, 2022.
      The doors of the Co-op go flying as the Land Rover crashes through the shop entrance
      Debris can be seen littering the shop floor
      Graham during his playing days with Sunderland ini a match against Bristol Rovers in September 2020Credit: Rex
      The 37-year-old from Wynyard, County Durham, said he “can’t remember” why he got behind the wheel having drunk “up to 10 pints”.
      Graham, appearing at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Friday, pleaded guilty to drink driving.
      CCTV footage has now been released showing the moment that the former striker smashed through the store front of the Co-op in the village.
      The shocking smash happened just over a minute after a customer had left the shop with their dog, the court heard
      Read More on Danny Graham
      Footage shows the doors flying open as smashed glass and debris litter the shop floor.
      Graham, who also had stints at Watford, Swansea and Blackburn Rovers, said at the hearing he had been playing golf before going to a friend’s house to have some drinks.
      He has now been banned from driving for two years and given a 12-month community order in which he must carry out 180 hours unpaid work.
      Graham was also handed a 90-day alcohol ban, which will be monitored by a tag that can detect even a “small glass of sherry”.
      Most read in Football
      He must also pay a surcharge and costs of £199.
      Chairman of the bench Nigel Guerin warned him he would be jailed if he flouted the driving ban, saying: “You are a well-known person and a lot of people in Wynyard will know you.
      “If you get behind the wheel of a car I’m sure someone will get in touch with the police.”
      The court was told the forward was breathalysed at hospital after the crash.
      He was found to have 230mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80mg.
      The shop had to close for five days and stock worth more than £5,000 was damaged – with a total loss of around £32,000.
      Michael Lawson, prosecuting, said: “Luckily, no-one was injured as a result of this collision.”
      The court was told Graham had never been arrested before the “unwise incident”.
      Veteran striker Graham began his playing career at Middlesbrough in 2004 where he scored one goal in 15 appearances for the club.
      After spells on loan at Leeds United, Darlington, Derby County and Blackpool, he signed with Carlisle in 2007.
      He spent two years at the club and scored 29 goals before moving to Watford.
      Graham left the club for then-Premier League side Swansea in 2011 and made 54 appearances before his three-year stint at Sunderland.
      Read More on The Sun
      He left the Black Cats in 2016 and spent four years with Blackburn Rovers where he netted 45 goals in 158 appearances.
      Graham returned to Sunderland in 2020 before retiring from professional football a year later.
      Danny Graham’s Land Rover can be seen wedged in the Co-opCredit: NNP
      Graham has been banned from driving for two years and given a 12-month community order in which he must carry out 180 hours unpaid workCredit: PA:Press Association More

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      Brit footballer who was friends with Maradona was found dead after leaving worrying notes

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      A BRIT footballer who was friends with Maradona was found dead after leaving worrying notes, an inquest has heard.Martyn Gilson-Clarke, 42, moved to join Diego Maradona’s club in Argentina after the Falklands War – and was taken to dinner by the ‘Hand of God’ superstar.
      An inquest heard Martyn Gilson-Clare committed suicide at homeCredit: Facebook
      Martyn was part of the Falkland Island National team and also played in Argentina
      He was found dead in his flat in Cheltenham Road, Gloucester, on 14th December last year, the inquest was told.
      Assistant Gloucestershire Coroner Roland Wooderson said Mr Gilson-Clarke had left notes that “seem to indicate his wish to take his own life.”
      He recorded a suicide conclusion.
      Mr Gilson-Clarke, whose father was a Royal Marine who fought in the South Atlantic conflict, was a teenager living on the islands – known as Malvinas to the Argentinians – when he left in 1999 to play for Argentina’s Boca Juniors team.
      MORE ON MARADONA
      There he met Maradona, who took him out for a pizza and even lent him his phone so Martyn could call his Mum.
      Last week’s inquest heard that Mr Gilson-Clarke had not been seen for six days before December 14 so the landlord of his ground floor flat went to make a welfare check on him. 
      He found the door locked and was unable to get any response.
      The landlord used his key to gain entry to the flat and found Mr Gilson-Clarke on the floor of his bedroom.
      Most read in Football
      Post-mortem examination revealed that Mr Gilson-Clarke had taken a variety of drugs and alcohol prior to death, the coroner said. 
      The cause of death was given by the pathologist as ashyxia.
      There were no friends or relatives of Mr Gilson-Clarke in attendance at yesterday’s inquest and no evidence was given about his background, employment or family life.
      However, an obituary in an Argentinian newspaper told of his exciting career in football.
      It states Mr Gilson-Clarke was born in England and moved with his family to the Malvinas Islands at a very young age. 
      After standing head and shoulders above the rest while playing football on the island, he headed to mainland Argentina in 1999, when he was 19 years old, to train at Boca Juniors.
      The day he arrived, he went straight from the airport to the club and was invited by Maradona to watch a match in his VIP box. 
      Later, at a pizzeria, Maradona lent him his mobile phone. 
      Mr Gilson-Clarke told journalists: “I called my mum. 
      “I said: ‘Guess where I am?'”
      In 2002 Gilson-Clarke returned to the UK and played between 2002-2004 for Brentwood FC.
      You’re Not Alone
      EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
      It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
      It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
      And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
      Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
      That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
      The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
      Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
      If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:

      CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
      Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
      Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
      Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
      Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
      Movember, www.uk.movember.com
      Anxiety UK www.anxietyuk.org.uk, 03444 775 774 Monday-Friday 9.30am-10pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-8pm

      A police report to the Coroner said Mr Gilson-Clarke was lying on his back when he was found. 
      There was no indication of any third party involvement in his death and there were no suspicious circumstances.
      Police were able to confirm identification of Mr Gilson-Clarke’s body from his driving licence, which was in the flat.
      The Coroner said “I have seen a number of notes which were left. I understand what is said in those notes. I don’t intend to go through them in any detail.”
      Read More on The Sun
      He concluded “It is clear on the evidence that on December 14, 2022, Mr Gilson-Clarke was found deceased at his home address. D
      “Notes left by the deceased seem to indicate his wish to take his own life. The approproate conclusion on the balance of probabilities is that of suicide.” More

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      Ex-Everton star considering legal action after being told he won’t be charged with child sex offences

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      AN ex-Everton footballer arrested on suspicion of child sex offences is considering taking legal action against the police after being told he won’t be charged following a two-year investigation.The former Prem star, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was nicked in July 2021 at the £3million mansion he shared with his partner and young family.
      The footballer was held on suspicion of child sex offences
      Cops raided his property in Cheshire after receiving a complaint relating to a young girl a month earlier.
      The player, who always maintained his innocence, was suspended by the Blues while the police investigation was carried out.
      He spent 21 months under a cloud of suspicion before being told earlier this week he faces no further action.
      Now his lawyers have revealed he is considering launching a lawsuit after his life was placed on hold for so long.
      Read More on Everton
      At the time of his arrest, an Everton spokesman said: “Everton can confirm it has suspended a player pending a police investigation.
      “The club will continue to support the authorities with their inquiries and will not be making any further statement at this time.”
      He is no longer at Everton after his contract ran out.
      A Greater Manchester Police spokeswoman said: “The investigation team and Crown Prosecution Service have been working together and reached the decision that the evidence available at this time does not reach the threshold set out on the Code for Crown Prosecutors.”
      Most read in Football
      Everton said previously the player had been suspended pending the probe More